2004 Press Releases

"True Colors" Exhibit of American Art Opens in Bratislava

Bratislava, April 6, 2004

"True Colors: Meditations on the American Spirit," a major exhibition of contemporary American art, opened today at the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Gallery in Čuňovo and will run until May 31.

The "True Colors" exhibit features the work of sixty-eight contemporary American artists from diverse backgrounds and places. The collection includes paintings by such major artists as John Alexander, Herb Alpert, Will Barnet, Bruce Davidson, Richard Estes, Red Grooms, Roy Lichtenstein, Sally Mann, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jamie Wyeth. The exhibit was curated by Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C., a prominent Washington institution whose mission is to promote international understanding.

"True Colors" originated as an artistic response to the events of September 11, a meaningful way to put those events into perspective. The idea for the exhibition came from artists themselves. A number of artists contacted Meridian in the days following the attack, seeking a way to express their feelings. Many are from New York, but others are from different parts of the country, and although they were not witness to the events, they were nonetheless deeply affected.

The simple theme, a meditation on the American spirit, allowed for broad expressions. Ground Zero is part of the exhibition, but it also includes reflections on the American character, the inspiring beauty of the American landscape and the strength of the country's people. Some artists responded with new work; others found that art previously made now resonated in a profound new way. The result is a visual poem to the American spirit.

"True colors" was extremely well received by both the public and the press when it opened in Washington, DC, in February 2002. It was then shown in New York, Atlanta, and Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey. This current international tour began October 15, 2003, at the Allied Museum in Berlin. Showings followed in Belfast and Portadown, Northern Ireland, and Tirana, Albania.

The exhibit's showing in Bratislava was made possible through the generous contributions of the following corporate sponsors: Avent, Citibank, Coca Cola, Dell Computers, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson Controls, ON Semi-Conductor, Texaco Lubricants, Tower Automotive, Whirlpool, White & Case, and Wiktor/Leo Burnett.

For general information on the exhibition and its tour, check Meridian's web site at http://www.meridian.org

For details about the exhibition at Danubiana in Bratislava, contact:

Dana Polcikova
Program Coordinator

Embassy of the USA
Public Affairs Section
Tel.: 02/59223379
Fax: 02/54435934
E-mail: PolcikovaD@state.gov